Arch Manning to Titans, DJ Lagway heads to the Big Apple, and Jeremiah Smith stays home in underclassmen-only 2025 NFL mock draft
With the 2025 NFL Draft a little into the future, things are going to start kicking into full gear as the college and NFL seasons finish up. Over the next several months, there are going to be a million mock drafts out there. The fan bases are going to get acquainted with talented prospects from […]
With the 2025 NFL Draft a little into the future, things are going to start kicking into full gear as the college and NFL seasons finish up. Over the next several months, there are going to be a million mock drafts out there. The fan bases are going to get acquainted with talented prospects from all over the country who could fit into the various team needs.
To have a little bit of fun, I decided to do a mock draft with only underclassmen for an interesting hypothetical. We have seen people all season speculating where true freshman Ohio State wide receiver Jeremiah Smith would be selected this year if he was eligible, so let’s make that happen.
I created a pool of the top freshmen and sophomores in college football who aren’t eligible for this class, used the same draft order for the top ten selections, and the same projected team needs. Let’s have some fun, and talk about the hypothetical top ten selections.
1. Tennessee Titans: Arch Manning, QB, Texas
Sometimes the “if player X was eligible, they would go No. 1 overall” stuff can be pretty overplayed, but in this case, it may be true. From a talent perspective, Manning has it all. He possesses a great frame at 6-4 and 220 pounds, is very athletic, and is arguably the best deep ball thrower in college football. Manning is set to take over as the starting quarterback for Texas next fall, and he should flourish.
2. Cleveland Browns: Jeremiah Smith, WR, Ohio State
Several prominent NFL Draft pundits haven’t been shy about their admiration for the talent of Smith. At 6-3 and 215 pounds, we haven’t seen a freshman this good since Julio Jones was at Alabama. Smith heads into the national championship game against Notre Dame with 71 receptions for 1,227 yards and 14 touchdowns. Florida may technically be home for Smith, but he stay in the Buckeye State in this scenario.
3. New York Giants: DJ Lagway, QB, Florida
It’s a small sample size for Lagway, but the highs are already incredibly high. At 6-3 and 239 pounds, the Texas native possesses tremendous athleticism and natural arm talent. If developed properly, he could contend to be the first overall selection in the 2027 NFL Draft class.
4. New England Patriots: Dylan Stewart, EDGE, South Carolina
If you love 6-6 pass rushers with tremendous bend, closing speed, and upside, then you are going to love Stewart. He quickly took the college football world by storm in 2024, finishing the season with 10.5 tackles for loss, 6-5 sacks, and three forced fumbles. Stewart is a freaky athlete who is just figuring out how good he can be.
5. Jacksonville Jaguars: Caleb Lomu, OT, Utah
There is a lot of Joe Alt and Caleb Lomu’s game. He is tall, long, and extremely athletic. He came to Utah at just around 250 pounds but has now morphed into the 304-pound blindside protector you see today. As Lomu’s power profile continues to develop, there is no ceiling to how good he can become.
6. Las Vegas Raiders: LaNorris Sellers, QB, South Carolina
We saw tremendous growth down the stretch of the 2024 season for Sellers. The 6-3, 242-pound passer threw for 2,534 yards and 18 touchdowns this fall. He also rushed for 674 yards and seven more scores on the ground. If Sellers takes another step as a passer, then he could contend to be the guest quarterback off the board next April.
7. New York Jets: Colin Simmons, EDGE, Texas
On a very veteran defensive line for the Longhorns, Simmons quickly became arguably the best defensive player on the team. The true freshman pass rusher recorded 48 total tackles, 14 tackles for loss, nine sacks, and three forced fumbles in 2024. Simmons isn’t the biggest defensive end at 6-3 and 244 pounds, but he is incredibly explosive.
8. Carolina Panthers: Ryan Williams, WR, Alabama
If it wasn’t for Smith, everyone and their mother would be talking about how special Williams is, at least at a higher volume. Despite some struggles at quarterback, Williams was still able to make 48 receptions for 865 yards and eight touchdowns. The 6-0, 175-pound pass catcher just put together one of the best freshman receiver seasons for a school who has had some very impressive ones in the past.
9. New Orleans Saints: Jermod McCoy, CB, Tennessee
The Saints could use multiple upgrades at cornerback, and they should be looking to do so in the 2025 class regardless. McCoy, who was previously a transfer from Oregon State, was a revelation this season. The All-American cover man was arguably the best player on a very good Tennessee defense, tying for the team lead with four interceptions, while leading with nine pass breakups.
10. Chicago Bears: Keldrick Faulk, EDGE, Auburn
A name that we will be talking about a lot more this offseason. Faulk is the real deal. At 6-6 and 288 pounds, Faulk plays a lot on the edge but has the frame and power to also play up and down the line of scrimmage. With his rare power and closing speed for his size, Faulk managed to record 45 total tackles, 11 tackles for loss, and seven sacks as a sophomore.
With only ten selections projected in this hypothetical mock draft, that has left out a lot of future talent. Some other talented prospects to know for this exercise are Tennessee quarterback Nico Iamaleava, Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love, Auburn wide receiver Cam Coleman, Texas linebacker Anthony Hill Jr., Clemson linebacker Sammy Brown, Notre Dame cornerback Leonard Moore, and Ohio State safety Caleb Downs. Obviously, a lot more talent will ascend over the next year or two.
